Autism Treatment Should be Adapted According to Gender

Carol Povey, Director of The National Autistic Society’s Centre for Autism, said:

“Historically, research on autism has been largely informed by the experiences of men and boys with the condition.

“This important study will therefore help our understanding of how the condition differs between genders. Girls can be more adaptive than boys and can develop strategies that often mask what we traditionally think of as the signs of autism.

“This “masking” can lead to a great deal of stress, and many girls go on to develop secondary problems such as anxiety, eating disorders or depression.

“It’s important that we build on this study and more research is conducted into the way autism manifests in girls and women, so that we can ensure that gender does not remain a barrier to diagnosis and getting the right support.”